Opening and closing device for collapsible tubes



y 1932- w. v. ROOS 1,865,484

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Feb. 7, 1930 INVENTQR Wendel .V Roos Zig y 5 ATTORN 5 Patented July 5, 1932 L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEL V. RODS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ormvmeann CLOSING nnvron non corners mm roams Application filed February 7, 1930. Serial No. 426,496.

This invention relates to automatic opento crush the tube and thus create a pressure ing and closing devices for collapsible tubes, inside, the contents thereof would not be which are employed for such fluids as tooth forced out. paste, shaving cream, paint, mucilage, and Further features and objects of my inventhe like, the material being adapted to be dis- -tion will be more fully understood from the 5 charged from the tube bycompression of the following detailed description with the acbody of the tube. companying drawing, in which:

Pursuant to my invention, the automatic Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a closure device for a collapsibletube comprises closure device su er-imposed above the dis-. a member adapted to be inserted in the outlet charge opening 0 a collapsible tube. from the collapsible tube, and it consists es- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the closure desentially of a relatively fixed element having vice as viewed from the right hand side of a terminal flanged portion thereof, disposed Fig. 1. at or adjacent the terminus of the discharge Fig. 3 is a section taken through 33 of 15 orifice of the device extending over a substan- Fig. 1.

tial portion of the opening 0 this orifice, of a Fig. 4 is a section taken through 4.4 of relatively movable element having a body Fig. 1. portion extending transversely to the direc- Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing an tion of discharge flow of the medium conother form ofthe automatic sealing member. tained within the collapsible tube, said rela- Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of my intively movable element further comprising a vention. terminalfianged portion co-actin when in its Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section closed position with said fixed anged porof another modification of the closure device tion to effectively close the opening of .the illustrated in its place in the outlet end of a 25 discharge orifice, and upon the flow of the collapsible tube.

medium adapted to be displaced by the pres- Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another side of sure within the tube to provide for, the disthe embodiment shown in Fig. 7. charge of the medium. Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section, It is an object of this invention to produce of another modification o the invention; 30 a device possessing the advantages enumere Fig. 10 is a side elevation of still another ated above and adapted to be secured to the modification of the invention. cylindrical discharge nozzle of the ordinar Fig. 11 is the bottom plan view of the clocollapsible tube by the purchaser thereof: sure device illustrated in Fig. 10. without the use of special tools or other acces- Fig. 12-is a sectional side elevation of still 35 sories. another embodiment of my invention.

It is a further object to produce such a de- Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the autov'ice which is designed to perforate a diamatic sealing member illustrated in Fig. 12. phragm top, blind top, or other seal which The collapsible tube 1 is of the well known 4 is usually placed over the end of a collapsible and conventional type used for the market- 40 tube. This seal ma be made of very soft .ing of such articles as tooth paste, shaving metal or, perhaps, 0 wax, and my improved cream, mucilage and the like, and is usually device is constructedtoreadily perforate such 'made of a soft metal adapted to be readily a seal during the application thereof to the compressed and subsequently flattened out as end of the tube. the material within the tube is discharged 45 And it is still afurther object to furnish the therefrom. The upper end of such tubes is automatic closure device with means for readusually equipped with a cylindrical nozzle 2 ily locking it in closed position, if so desired, which is also made of'a soft metal which will so that, if a collapsible tube, equipped with readily lend itself to the accomplishment of such a device were placed in a hand bag the purposes of this invention. These tubes along with other articles which might serve are usually sealed at the upper end, at 3, for

instance, by a thin layer of soft metal and are adapted to be filled or loaded from the bottom thereof (not shown). After the tube is filled, the bottom is also sealed, making an air tight container, or hermetically sealed container, so that the contents of the tubes will be preserved for an indefinite time as no evaporation or deterioration will occur. The closure device described herein is adapted to cooperate with a standard tube of this kind without any change in the present form of the tube or the manufacture thereof. In fact, most tubes of this kind are equipped with threads on the outside of the discharge nozzle so that a cap may be screwed thereon. These threads may be omitted with the present invention, thus reducing the cost of manufacture of the tube.

The preferred embodiment of my closure device is illustrated at B in Figs. 1 to 4 and it comprises a hollow body portion, the upper part of which, illustrated at 7, is of substantially square or rectangular cros-z section and the lower part, shown at 8, forms a hollow truncated cone, the base of which is attached to the body portion 7 and merges therewith to form a single hollow body for the purposes set forth hereinafter.

The upper portion 7 is adapted to receive a resilient, automatic sealing member S, comprising 'a single piece bent to form a fixed terminal portion 11 adapted to be positioned at or adjacent to the upper end of the body portion 7, an attaching side portion 12, a curved spring portion 13, a wall portion 14 and a movable terminal portion 15. Portion 14 is equipped with side wings 16 and 17 illustrated in Fig. 3. This sealing member S may be made from one piece of spring metal and is adapted to be forced into the open end of body portion 7 and secured thereto by upsetting portions of .the closure member as indicated at 20, 21, 22 and 23.

A portion of wall 12 may be punched out partly therefromas illustrated at 25 and positioned so as to co-operate with a similar aperture 26 in the wall of body portion 7, so that when the member S is initially positioned within body portion 7, there will be no tendency for it to fall out during the subsequent upsetting operations which are performed to securely and finally lock member S in position, inasmuch as the partly punched out portion 25 will be forced into engagement with one of the Walls of the aperture 26 by the spring tension of the member i The lower end of body portion 7 is equipped with shoulders on the interior thereof where the body portions 7' and 8 merge together. The shoulders are illustrated at 15 and 16 and the curve thereof is complemental to the curve formed by the spring portion 13=. and adapted to receive the same in ordcr'to support the spring sealingv member S in position. Shoulders 15 and 16' have the same curve, so that either is adapted to support the spring portion 13, the result being that the spring sealing member S may be placed in the body portion 7, so that the spring portion 13 engages shoulder 16, or may be turned around 180 so spring portion '13 engages shoulder 15'. This feature will enable the closure device to be more readily assembled.

The outer surface of the truncated conical body portion 8 is equipped with screw threads 30, and the end of this portion is bevelled off to form an aperture 31, at the same time leaving a sharp point 32 which is adapted to perforate the seal 3. A small hole 35 is drilled through the fixed terminal portion 11. adjacent and just to the right of wall portion 14 asviewed in Fig. 1., and is adapted to receive an ordinary straight pin P to lock movable terminal portion 15 in its closed position, because, with such a pin in place in aperture 35, the movable spring portion may not move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.

Due to the fact that the cylindrical nozzle 2 and the seal 3 are made of very soft metal, the user of the tube may readily force the closure device through the seal in member 3 into the discharge orifice 2 and screw the closure device down into said orifice until the closure device is securely locked therewith. The threads 30 on the truncated conical portion 8 will readily cut into and form complemental threads on the inner surface top portion adapted to completely cover the opening at the outer end of the body of the closure device. This top member is equipped with an aperture 51 which is shown as an oval but whichfmay have any desired configuration. be forced out through this aperture and the issuing stream will possess a cross sectional configuration corresponding to the configuration of the aperture.

, At Fig. 6, I have shown another embodiment of my invention which is similar to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the previous figures except that the body portion 7 is equipped with a pair of cars 37 and 38 which are bent downwardly at right angles to the sides to which they are attached after the spring member S is locked in place. The side walls of the member 7 may be pressed inwardly at 39, for instance, and at a corresponding place at the opposite wall (not The medium in the tube will i 7 is equipped with a spring pressed sealing illustrated. The body member is equipped with a hollow cylindrical nozzle 56, adapted to form a close fit with the interior of outlet nozzle '2 bf the collapsible tube. Member 56 has two pairs of oppositely disposed longitudinal slots 57 and 58 dis osed' on the lower edge thereof, as shown in ig. 8. At the bottom of the narrow strip of metal'formed between each pair of slots, an upset portion 59 is shaped into the form of an engaging nib. adapted to engage the inner side of the lower edge of nozzle 2, when the closure device is forced downwardly into tube 1. This engagement will serve to lock the closure device in place upon the end of the collapsible tube 1. The closure device 55 is adapted to receive an automatic sealing member, such as that illustrated in 'Figs. 1 to 4 described above, and it is also adapted to contain a perforating nozzle, such as nozzle 44 illustrated in Figs. 9 and 12.

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated a closure device equipped with a body 7" of substantially square or rectangular cross section and similar to the body portion 7. This body portion member S, just the same as and secured in place in the same manneras the member S described above. The lower part of the body portion 7 is connected to a cylindrical body portion 41 equipped with internal threads 42 of such a diameter as to fit ov'er'discharge nozzle 2 and adapted tobe threaded thereon, the threads 42 cutting into and forming co-operating threads on the outside of discharge nozzle 2. This embodiment of my invention is also equipped with a perforating nozzle 44 positioned within the hollow cylindrical body port-ion 41 and adapted to be held in place between the sprin sealing-member S and an annular shoul er portion 45 formed at the upper end of body portion 41. This perforating nozzle 44 is adapted to perforate the seal 3 as the closure device is screwed down upon discharge nozzle 2.

In Figs. 10 and 11, l have illustrated still another embodiment of my invention similar in all respects to the one shown in Fig. 9, except that a cylindrical body POI'tlOlr-lll' is equipped with partially punched out lugs or ears 50 and 51 near the lower periphery thereof, as viewed in Fig. 10. Such a device may be forced over the discharge nozzle 2 and given a partial turn. The ears 50 and 51..will cut into the soft metal of the .dis-

charge nozzle 2 when forced downwardly thereon and given a partial turn, thus looking the closure device to the collapsible tube.

closure device made of a resinous condensation product and comprising an upper portion 60 of substantially square or rectangular cross section, adapted to retain and hold the spring sealing member S therein, and also equipped with a perforating nozzle 44 ada te to be supported upon an annular shoul er projection 61 and held in place by the spring sealingmember S. The lower part of the body illustrated at 63 is made in cylindrical form and equipped with internal threads 64 adapted to co-operate with the discharge nozzle 2 of the collapsible tube and toenable.

the closure device to be attached thereto. In

her, is equipped with teeth at both edges of locking side portion 12, as illustrated at 65. A series of similar teeth are made at the opposite side: of portion 12 and these teeth are adapted to imbed themselves in the resinous condensation body and serve to lock the mem-- place within the upper body porthis particular embodiment, the spring mema locking means is advantageous where the tube is liable to'be subject to accidental pressures on the exterior thereof.

.A. closure device. may be furnished with eaclntube of material and the tube may be hermetically sealed so as to preserve the contents thereof. The collapsible tube in question does not have "to be equipped with threads or perforations or locking devices or, 1n fact, appurtenances of any kind, but instead the ordinary standard tube which is now used so extensively, may be continued to be used withmy device. When the user has procured a tube and 'an automatic closure device therefor, it is only necessary for him to force the sharp end of .the closure device, as illustrated in 32, through the seal; ing member 3 and then, in the case of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, screw the device into the .interior of'the nozzle of the tube. The screw threads 31 will readily bite into the soft metal of the discharge nozzle and form a permanent, connection between the automatic shut-ofi' device and the collapsible tube. .With the device illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, it is only necessary to force expand :outwardly and engage the outside edges ofthe'nozzles so as to hold the closure At Flgs. 12 and 13, I have illustrated a d evice in place so that when pressure is applied to the collapsible tube, the spring closure member contained within the body of the closure device will operate and function as described in relation to the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9, the perforating nozzle 44 will be forced through the sealing material 3 as the-threads 42 engage with and cut into the outside of the discharge nozzle 2.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, the perforating nozzle'therefor, which is similar to nozzle 44 illustrated in Fig. 9, will function in the same manner when the ears and 51 are forced downwardly cutting into the discharge nozzle 2, and after a partial twist thereof, locking the discharge device and tube together.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 12 will function in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 9 and the spring sealing member S" is essentially the salne in each and every one of the modifications illustrated. When the pressure is applied to the tube 1 and contents thereof is forced out through a discharge nozzle 2 and into the automatic closure device, it will completely fill the same, except for the space lying between the walls 12 and 14, and the pressure created by the application of force to the exterior of the collapsible tube will cause the movable spring-actuated portion of the automatic sealing member to move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the movable terminal portion 15 is displaced under the fixed terminal portion 11 and leave an aperture, through which the medium contained in the tube may pass out. Upon release of pressure, the movable portion of the closure device will springlback toward the left, and movable terminal. portion 15 will close off and seal the end of the automatic sealing member.

, lVhereas, I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a closure device for a tube having a' discharge orifice, a hollow body, spring actuated sealing means within said body, said spring actuated sealing means comprising a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube, and to be returned to its normal position upon release of the pressure, a hollow nozzle adapted to perforate a seal placed over the discharge orifice of the tube, said hollow nozzle affording communication between the interior of the hollow body and the tube, and means for locking said closure member to the collapsible tube.

2. In a closure device for a collapsible tube having a discharge orifice, a hollow body, spring actuated sealing means within said body, said spring actuated sealing means collapsible comprising a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube, and to be returned to its normal position upon release of pressure, means to enable said spring actuated sealing means to be locked in closed position so that the application of pressure to the medium contained within the tubewill not open said device, hollow means for perforating a seal placed over the discharge orifice of the tube, said hollow perforating means affording communication between said hollow body and the interior of the collapsible tube and means for securing said closure member to the collapsible tube.

3. In a closure device for a collapsible tube having a discharge orifice, a hollow body, spring actuated sealing means within said body, said spring actuated sealing means comprising a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube, and to be returned to its normal position upon release of pressure, means to enable said spring actuated sealing means to be lockedin closed. position so that the application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube will not open said device, a hollow nozzle adapted to perforate a seal placed over the discharge orifice of the tube, said hollow nozzle affording communication between the interior of the hollow body and the tube, and means for securing'said closure member to the collapsible tube.

4. In a closure member for collapsible tubes, a hollow body having a portion to receive a spring actuated sealing member adapted to be opened by application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube and closed upon release of the pressure, and a hollow portion open at the end, connected thereto and tapering to a point to enable it to readilyperforate a seal placed over the discharge nozzle of the tube and furnish communication between the interior of the hollow body and the tube, and means for locking said closure member to the collapsible tube.

5. A closure device for a collapsible tube having a discharge orifice, comprising a hollow body provided with a discharge opening, spring actuated sealing means within said body, said spring actuated sealing means including a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by the medium contained within the tube upon application of pressure to the tube, and to be returned to its normal position upon release of the pressure, and hollow means for perforating a seal placed over the discharge orifice of the tube,

said hollow means communicating with the interior of said hollow body, said perforating means effecting locking engagement with the discharge orifice of the tube. upon perforation of the seal.

6. A closure member for a collapsible tube having a discharge'orifice, comprising a hollow body provided with a discharge opening, spring actuated sealing means within said hollow body, said spring actuated sealing means including a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by the medium contained within the tube upon application of pressure and to be returned to its normal position upon release of the pressure, and hollow means secured to said hollow body for insertion into the discharge orifice of the tube, said hollow means upon insertion effecting locking engagement with the wall of the discharge orifice, said hollow means affording communication between the interior of the hollow body and the tube.

7 In a closure device for a collapsible tube having a discharge orifice, a hollow body, spring actuated sealing means within said body, said spring actuated sealing means comprising a part arranged to be displaced from its normal position by the application of pressure to the medium contained within the tube, and to be returned to is normal position upon release of the pressure, means secured to said hollow body and communicating therewith for perforating a seal placed over the discharge orifice of the tube, said hollow body afi'ording communication be tween the interior of the hollow body and the tube, and means for locking said closure member to the collapsible tube. V

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 17th day of January, 1930.

WEN'DEL' V. ROOS. 

